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Think New York Has a Small Carbon Footprint? Watch This [VIDEO]

Bigger isn't always better — at least, that's what New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is conveying to New Yorkers with a new report on the city's large carbon footprint.

The mayor's Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability released a study, along with a video, that looked at how just much carbon dioxide (CO2) escapes into the Big Apple's air each day.

The video, above, assumes that one ton of CO2 would fill a sphere about 33 feet across — represented by the large, turquoise orbs you see floating up from the streets. It then assumes what would happen if all the CO2 emissions from vehicles, buildings and factories — in their spherical form — were to emerge together at the same spot in downtown Manhattan.

According to the video, the gas bubbles would form a pile about half the height of the Empire State Building after the first hour. After a day, the bubbles would almost completely cover the building and its surrounding area. Finally, after a year, the entire island of Manhattan would be buried under a pile of turquoise.

The video also adds that nearly two tons of CO2 are released from the city every second; 75% of the emissions come from buildings. In 2010, New York added more than 54 million metric tons of CO2 to the atmosphere, it says.

Watch the video above to see if for yourself. Tell us: Does this surprise you? What ways can New York, or other big cities, cut down on greenhouse gas emissions?

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